


The Closest Thing to Normal

by canufeelthemagictonight



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adorable, Crushes, Eli is OTP forever, F/M, Feelings Realization, First Dates, I hope!, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Set between s1 and s2, Trauma, asking someone out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 15:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19321051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: The words "I'm fine" are on the tip of his tongue, but he knows that there's no point in lying to her.Eva and Oli survived the night together. Now, they have to find their way back to being okay again.An Escape the Night one-shot. Originally part of a one-shot collection from last summer, but I thought that this one would be pretty good to publish on its own.





	The Closest Thing to Normal

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, gang, so this is NOT a new story. I actually wrote this a while ago as part of my Shipping One Shots book (which I do still plan on going back to eventually!), but I was and am REALLY proud of it, so I thought I'd publish it as its own story. Hope you guys enjoy!

It's been eight months, and Oli still has nightmares. He still wakes up in a cold sweat, images of corpses in his head, the sound of his own screaming voice echoing through his ears. A static shock from a doorknob is enough to reduce him to a panicking mess of a person. He can't go to the circus, or help his mum garden, or even watch Joey's videos without thinking of the night he almost died.

He hasn't spoken to Joey in ages. The former Savant stopped attending their group therapy sessions two months ago, and ever since, he seems to have thrown himself into his YouTube channel. Occasionally, Oli considers calling him, but he knows that he'll have no idea what to say.

Eva, however, is another story entirely.

"Are you feeling all right?" she asks him for the ten billionth time as they exit yet another round of therapy.

The words "I'm fine" are on the tip of his tongue, but he knows that there's no point in lying to her. She was in the room with him five minutes ago, when he poured his heart out about how he wants to make himself forget everything. "No," he admits. "You?"

"Oli, I couldn't sit through _Wonder Woman,"_ she reminds him. "Of _course_ I'm not all right."

Of course. She'd been really looking forward to that movie, but the sound of guns was too much for her to take. It's like they're a pair of shellshocked veterans, except neither of them signed up for what they went through.

Oli slips his hand into Eva's. It's more of a instinct than a conscious thought, and as soon as he realizes that he's done it, he immediately thinks _oh, crap, what if that's too far?_ But Eva smiles and squeezes his hand, and everything's okay.

He thinks.

To be honest, he's been falling for her ever since that awful night, but he's spent the better part of eight months trying to convince himself that it's not really love. He's just traumatized, his mind has insisted, and he's grown attached to his fellow survivor, and whatever he's feeling will fade back to friendship eventually. But it's been eight months. He feels the same as he did then.

Maybe it's time for him to do something about it.

Eva lets go of his hand and prepares to head back to her car. "Bye, Oli. See you tomorrow."

"Wait!"

 _Bloody hell, Oli! That "wait" sounded_ way _too desperate!_

She stops in her tracks. "Yeah?" There's a curious look on her face, as if she's a Journalist who's just gotten wind of a story.

 _Okay. Okay. She's listening. I gotta be casual about this. I don't wanna ruin our friendship, after all._ "I was...uh...just wondering...if you weren't doing anything tonight...maybe we could...get something to eat? And watch a movie? Not _Wonder Woman,"_ he quickly assures her. "Like, a comedy. Something with a happy ending."

She stands there for a few moments, and her expression is unreadable. "Oli," she finally replies, "are you asking me out on a date?"

"Only if you want to," he almost squeaks. "We could go as friends, if you'd rather. Either way. I just...you've helped me so much, and you've been there for me through everything, and...I want to be with you. Normally. Without the whole 1920s thing hanging over our heads."

Eva wrinkles her nose. Oli worries that he's said too much.

But then, she nods enthusiastically, and joy flickers in her beautiful brown eyes. "Are you kidding? Of _course_ I'll go out with you! I love—" She stops mid-sentence, then tries again. "I want to see where this goes."

 _She likes me,_ thinks Oli, and he feels like he's floating on clouds of cotton candy. _She actually likes me. She wants to give us a chance._

"Okay," he says. "So...uh...I'll pick you up around...eight?"

"That works for me."

He gives her a quick hug before he goes. He almost kisses her, but he talks himself out of it because he doesn't want to rush her into things. It's better for them to try the whole "dinner and a movie" thing first, and then, if things go well, maybe...

"Bye, Oli. See you tonight."

They've both endured a lot, but at least they've endured it together. This date could be the closest thing to normal that either of them have experienced in a long time.

He's looking forward to it.

**Author's Note:**

> "Why is Oli in LA?" you are probably getting ready to type in the comments, and I will reply that he probably goes back and forth between LA and London for the group therapy sessions and whatnot. Anyway, hope you liked the story! I kinda hope the past survivors show up this season.


End file.
